- TITLE SHOT ASIDE, GAMBURYAN FOCUSED ON BROWN

by Ken Pishna – MMAWeekly.com
Like any world-class fighter Manny Gamburyan wants to win a championship. You wouldn’t know it though, talking to him about his WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber opponent Mike Brown.

Gamburyan’s focus is a laser.

“I don’t care about the title shot. I care about one fight at a time. I’m not trying to look past Mike Brown. I’ll try to get a victory on him and think about from there. If I’m next in line for a title shot then I’m down for it,” says the fiery Armenian.

But that’s what you get from a man who started fighting professionally at the tender age of 17, who over the past decade worked his into the ranks of the UFC’s lightweight division.

He hit a couple stumbling blocks at 155 pounds, fighting above his natural weight. So with the WEC gaining steam and opening up opportunities for lighter weight fighters, Gamburyan jumped at the opportunity to prove himself at 145 pounds, a much better fit for him… but maybe not so much of a good fit for his opponents.

Brown is one of the bigger fighters in the featherweight class, but Gamburyan believes his move into the division puts him right there alongside Brown, if not above him in that category.

“People say he’s strong, this and that, but I think I’m the strongest 145’er out there. We’ll find out who’s stronger physically. I don’t care. You gotta come up with a good game plan, good strategy,” Gamburyan told MMAWeekly.com.

And that’s not necessarily an easy thing to do against Brown, just ask Urijah Faber, who is part of Saturday night’s headliner. Brown defeated Faber once to win the WEC featherweight belt, and a second time in a rematch. He’s also defeated the like of Leonard Garcia and Jeff Curran, as well.

In his last 12 fights, only current champion Jose Aldo has found a way to defeat Brown.

“He’s definitely a game opponent. He’s a good wrestler. He’s overall good fighter. I gotta bring my ‘A’ game,” said Gamburan. “I’m gonna have my hands full, gotta be ready for him… Just go out there and try to finish him as soon as possible.